i went because i am a belle and sebastian fan. in general, though, i don't like outdoor festival type shows, so if there were an alternative i would have taken it. also, the hour and forty-five minute subway ride home didn't help.

still, i got to see beck and polyphonic spree, which i otherwise wouldn't have done, and that's cool. couldn't make it any earlier, though, because of the hour and a half subway ride there.

Second week in a row taking the F train from Manhattan out to Coney Island. A bit less than an hour for us, and fairly pleasant ride. By the time the train reached CI, it seemed only to be filled with music fans.

We managed to get below face price tix for the Saturday Brooklyn show with the Pixies. Craigslist was awash in cheap tix. I think the promoters overestimated the drawing power of the headliner groups and underestimated the fans reluctance about making the long treks out to these baseball parks. Plus the hefty ticket prices. So when the CL prices were right, we grabbed 2 tix primarily to see the Go4 and Pixies.

The weather was fine for dinner on the boardwalk. Got a bit cooler as the sun set, and unlike the sold-out White Stripes show last week, there weren't enough people in the park to generate much body heat. It seemed about one-third full when the Go4 hit the stage. I had not seen the Go4 for nearly 20 years (when they played the Pier over near 43rd Street and Sara Lee was the bassist). As I expected, it was primarily a run-through of the "Entertainment" album, and indeed, it was entertaining. Andy Gill still plays awesome guitar lines, and the sound separation of the instruments is still a drawing point, grounded by Hugo's formidable drumming. Singer Jon King has quite a bit of athleticism for a 50-something, running about the stage and taking a baseball bat to a microwave oven (this last bit woke up some drunks behind us who seemed alternately fascinated and repelled by the destruction of the appliance). King reminds me of an older brother of GBV's Robert Pollard. Go4 were fun to see this time around, but next time will need new material to get my capitalist dollar.

No new material expected or delivered from the Pixies either. Having seen the first leg of last year's reunion tour, even that novelty of the reunion has passed. And though it seems to have become an endless "Let's pay off the mortgage" tour, it's still the wonderful Pixies, who don't have a bad song in their bag. Frank Black has grown his hair out a bit, as well as his midsection, since last year. And (at least on Saturday) his screaming has dimished. At times they appeared to be going through the motions, and then other times, they seemed genuinely excited by their music. And the same with the audience. "Gouge Away" was a standout for me, and got much of the field crowd to dance. It was a nice, uncrowded setting to see the Pixies, and probably the last time I'll pay to see the reunion tour. Let's hope for new material someday.

I think the Across the Narrows people have the right idea, they just need to be a bit more creative and adventurous with the bands they select.

Show was overall a disappointment. Beck was definitely worth the wait, great set. Raveonettes were awesome, glad I got to see them. Polyphonic Spree was anti-climactic for me, since I have heard nothing but great things about their live show; seemed kinda boring and self-absorbed to me.

My biggest peeve was that we were in there over 5 hours, with re-entry prohibited, and all the vendors had on hand to eat was leftovers from the season, didn't restock anything but a bunch of goddam hotdogs. After the Superdome situation I am not asking anyone to feel sorry for me trapped in a stadium with nothing but hotdogs (oh yeah, there were pretzels too) but it will certainly make me think twice about attending a long event there again.

To the festival's credit; most punctual adherence to the set times I have ever seen. All performers while I was there went on according to schedule, some even started 5 minutes early; show ended EXACTLY at 10:10.

I think I am done with big venues, will be living at Bowery Ballroom, Joe's Pub and Mercury Lounge for the foreseeable future.

Here are my photos of day one the I will put up day two later
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46755882@N00/

I Had great time but didn't expect much because I have already seem 95% of the these bands this year and I always think that indoor smaller shows are better. But after reading those revies you posted I realized that most blogger are "to cool for school" just try to have fun and stop bitching.

I went to the first day in Staten Island. It was pretty good overall but not too many people showed up. I thought Tegan and Sara were kinda boring but The Killers, British Sea Power, and Interpol were great. No one was really was into the New York Dolls too much since it was a young crowd, I guess. I have some photos in my journal.

i have a review up too:
musicslut.blogspot.com

why do people go see the pixies ten times in a year and then complain about their setlist when no one seems to have gone to see the best band playing either venue? yes, british sea power. i don't know what is wrong with people but everyone i know who has ever seen them live agrees that they are the best fucking band in the world right now and no one in america seems to care. i guess it's good that i dont have to worry about any hipsters wearing their shirts or crowding the front row but seriously.

I tend to agree with Productshop re:BSP

I think the new BSP album is really good (I didn't care for their 1st one so much) and I've never seen them live, but I know one person who has seen them who was less than impressed, so don't you think you're exagerrating a bit, John?

Went to the Sunday Coney Island show, just to see the last three acts. I guess I'm over Polyphonic Spree, they just bored me and they bring out the worst crowd dancing you will ever see. Belle & Sebastian were wonderful if a bit disorganized. Beck was a pleasant surprise, since he kept to material I knew (and I'm not a huge fan) and the acoustic folky bit in the middle was superb. Was surprised he played "Loser".

I was surprised at the number of 14 year olds from New Jersey day 2 was able to draw in.

I posted a revied and photo for day 2 here

http://www.whosdrivingthebus.blogspot.com/

yo i thought the show was awsum. Kasabian rocked and i was pleasently surprised at how awsum the redwalls were.